Stockertown Says It Tried To Fly Flags

Stockertown Council last night issued a statement to answer questions on why flags were not flying on Veterans Day at the borough's recently erected veterans monument.

The flags were locked up, and the flag-raiser had no key.

The question has been asked lately by people who have published letters to the editor in the Morning Call and other local newspapers, and by Veterans of the Vietnam War Post PA-60, writing directly to the borough.

Council President Karl Unger, reading the statement to about two dozen people who attended the meeting, said a citizen was instructed to raise the flags on Veterans Day. By mistake the flags were locked in a private office at the municipal building, he said, and the citizen had no key.

Those who did have a key were out of town for the day, Unger said.

Deborah Duffin, on behalf of Post PA-60 had also asked council in a letter why the American, state and POW/MIA flags are not flown on a daily basis in the borough. The letter also stated that council has had offers to install, free of charge, lighting fixtures at the monument site on Main Street, and offers of volunteers to "run up the colors" daily.

Council's statement said there have been no offers to install lighting, or for maintenance, and that many small communities all over the state fly flags only on special occasions.

The idea to erect a monument to honor veterans was the borough's idea. The monument was designed by the borough engineer, installed by borough personnel -- all veterans, and funded largely by the borough, Unger said in the statement. He said it would continue to be maintained by the borough.

Council then voted to set up a committee of four residents to oversee the monument.

Duffin stood and said, "As a citizen and borough resident, as well as a member of PA-Post 60, I want to be on that committee. I want those flags flown on a daily basis; if I have to do it myself, then I'm offering my time."

Borough solicitor Gary Asteak told council that under borough code council has the authority to take charge, fund, and maintain the monument, fly the flags, and appoint the committee.

Asteak told Duffin she is free to consult with the committee.

Gary L. Reph, 4th Junior Vice Commander of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 7, then stood to address council, as they went on with the meeting's regular business.

He said he represented 53,000 disabled veterans in Pennsylvania and was there to discuss the Stockertown Veterans Memorial and the flying of the flags on poles purchased through a state grant.

He talked about the meaning of the flag and the importance of flying the POW-MIA flag to remind the public there are still veterans from all past wars who are unaccounted for.

Asteak said council and the borough shared those feelings of patriotism. He said it was borough officials who brought the monument to the town, and he promised they would adopt a protocol for its care.

"The bottom line is, we did it to honor those people (veterans)," Asteak said.

The reason the flags were not flying on Veteran's Day was explained, he said, noting that he hoped such an incident would not happen again.

"I sincerely hope you do not make more of this than there really is," Asteak said.

Reph said he wanted the borough to be patriotic daily and repeated he wanted the flags flown everyday.

Asteak recommended he take it up with the new committee.

After the meeting. Duffin and Reph said they were not satisfied, that the flags might be flown only on holidays.